*******************************
Following is a question by the Hon Wu Chi-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (November 18):
Question:
At present, standards on parking provision for residential developments, community facilities, commercial facilities, industrial developments and business developments are set out in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines. It is learnt that there are quite a number of redevelopment projects in developed areas (e.g. Kowloon City district) with small site areas, and yet they have to provide for car parks in order to meet the relevant provision standards for private parking spaces. As such, quite a number of the street-front ground floor spaces in those redevelopment projects have been taken up by car park entrances, resulting in a reduction in the number of street-level shops to be built. A high density of car park entrances in those districts also cause inconvenience to pedestrians. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the Government will consider providing private parking spaces in comprehensive parking facilities built by the Government or public organisations (e.g. the Hong Kong Housing Society and the Urban Renewal Authority) in districts where there are relatively more small scale redevelopment projects, for purchase by developers of redevelopment projects in the districts, so that those projects do not have to provide for parking facilities; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(2) whether it reviewed the standards on parking provision set out in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines in the past three years; whether it has plans to lower the relevant standards applicable to redevelopment projects; if it does, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My consolidated reply to Hon Wu Chi-wai's questions is as follows:
The standards concerning parking spaces as stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) aim to provide guidelines for individuals and organisations participating in development projects, as well as Government departments in respect of the parking demand and supply for development projects.
The Transport Department (TD) has commissioned a consultant for the "Review of Parking Standards for Private Housing Developments in Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines" between 2009 and 2012. The review results showed that the overall utilisation of private car parking spaces in private residential housing was about 70 per cent. The supply was generally satisfactory, among which the utilisation rate of small and medium-sized units of private residential housing (i.e. flats of area smaller than 100 square metres) was relatively low, while the supply of private car parking spaces for large units of private residential housing (i.e. flats of area not smaller than 100 square metres) was inadequate.
In order to better utilise the newly developed lands for private residential housing and to reduce the overall vacancy rate of private car parking spaces in future, the Government has revised, in February 2014, the standards and guidelines concerning the provision of private car parking spaces in private residential housing in the HKPSG according to the review findings. The revisions were mainly to revise the parking facilities standards to cater for the latest situation, taking into account various factors such as the various flat sizes of private residential housing, distances between the residential developments and railway stations, and the development densities, etc.
The revised planning standards and guidelines are applicable to new developments, including redevelopment projects. Depending on the types of application involved in a project (e.g. modification of land and planning use, or lease modification), the approving authorities will determine the number of parking spaces that have to be provided in the development project after taking reference from the standards concerning parking spaces stipulated in the HKPSG and consulting TD and relevant authorities. If the requested parking facilities at the development project cannot be provided due to factors such as site restriction or the limited road capacity within the district, etc., the developer can apply to the relevant approving authorities. TD and relevant departments will flexibly consider the request depending on the circumstances. The Government currently has no policy of providing comprehensive parking facilities for private developers to purchase for private development or redevelopment projects.
Ends/Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:31
NNNN
